HYDERABAD : The Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad has envisaged that the entire Hyderabad Metropolitan area will need Rs.11,943.75 crores for the next seven years for urban infrastructure and governance programmes and to provide basic services to the urban poor.

Estimated budget provisions include Rs. 7,350 crores for urban infrastructure and Rs. 4,593.75 crores for the poor for an area of development encompassing the MCH and the 10 surrounding municipalities, excluding the Secunderabad Cantonment Board.

MCH Commissioner Sanjay Jaju released the Draft City Development Plan (DCDP) at the `Shakti' workshop on research for sustainable development of mega cities' here on Monday.

Open for discussion

"The plan is open for discussion to improve upon it and for submission to the Central Government for funds under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewable Mission. If at least 50 per cent of the funds can be generated internally, we can seek the rest from the Centre," he said.

The capital was home to 10 per cent of the State population and unless its infrastructure grew in sync with population growth, Hyderabad would face an alarming situation as was happening in few other cities, he said.

"Hyderabad is in for more exponential growth coupled with economic expansion. This is also an opportunity to eradicate urban poverty and eliminate housing and service backlogs," the Commissioner observed. "But, his has to be distributed to all so that we can provide shelter, affordable services and generate employment for all urban dwellers."

Mission statement

Slum dwellers number 10 lakh and though there was some progress in provision of amenities to the poor in recent years much more has to be done.

The draft plan was more a mission statement underscoring the importance of building partnerships with people to make it a world-class city.

Mr. Jaju saw significant gaps in service delivery in water supply and sanitation, transportation and solid waste management, which need to be plugged.

Lack of an integrated organisational structure at all levels, a five year financial plan, organisation performance management system, integrated asset register, skills development strategy, were among the many challenges of the city administration.

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